It's a Fuckin' Party
by BristleFurr
Summary: BairdxOC. Very Gradual. Collection of one-shots. Span over Gears 1 to 3.
1. Lightmass Offensive

Hi there~

These are a series of situational one-shots. I find myself really adoring Baird as a character. I realize in a real-life situation he'd probably be a bunch less fun. Regardless, I'm enamored by the idea of a character who also adores his ridiculousness. (Don't get me wrong, I like Sam, but I feel like she's just a bit too much like him to be compatible.) Probably right sue-ish. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

. . .

"WHO LOVES YA, BABY?" Rang a vibrant, joyful voice. Augustus Cole raised his arms, Lancer in hand, mocking the unamused blond before him. They stopped just short of each other, a frown of discontent across Baird's face. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Came his rapid fire response, "Group hug...where's Rojas?" Cole dropped his arms then, shaking his head slightly.

The loss of Private Rojas meant very little to Baird. Shutting out minor acquaintances like him was like tearing paper to the Corporal. In fact, Baird seemed almost relieved to have one less pain in the ass to worry about.

As they awaited the arrival of the King Raven that would fly them from the site, Baird took a moment to observe the group of COG soldiers idling behind his once-famous friend. He had recognized Lieutenant Minh Young Kim as he spoke some feet away into his tac/com. A bearded Hispanic man stood almost perfectly still, watching the skies, focusing on the entrance of their ride. Another, whom he could only guess was the acclaimed Marcus Fenix, seemed lost to the world, probably caught up in some trivial, sentimental nonsense. The last stood possibly the closest and, to Baird's surprise, she was studying him back.

The bulky-framed woman, who Baird figured must be the only woman worth taking anywhere, Private Loneychen Fellwind, stood just above five feet from the ground. She appeared fairly young, with no noticeable scars or marks, aside from slightly visible laugh lines around her mouth. Her hair was shaved down the sides, leaving a strip of long, brunette mohawk hair tied back into a small pump with a tail that feathered in various lengths down the back and sides of her neck. But what really caught his attention was her eyes. The bright blue shone even from feet away. She wasn't strikingly beautiful aside from that, and Baird quickly gave up trying to guess the figure under the armor blocking his view.

He had only heard brief stories of the young 20-something. She was, to his recollection, a sharp shot, preferring a Sniper rifle to a Lancer, and known for her slightly Anvil accent, which stuck out among the Jacinto slang and jargon she'd use. Not that any of that truly mattered to Baird. She was just another of Hoffman's prized cronies.

It didn't take long for a chopper to appear on the scene...followed heavily by locust.

Baird glanced back at the rest of the squad, preparing for battle as the KR hit the ground, wondering when that chick would stop staring at him.

. . .

"Weeeell we sure as shit can't stay here!" Baird waved his arms at Marcus, enunciating the last few words of his statement with poison. "You're Baird..." All the annoyance in the world seemed to crawl from between the private's gritted teeth. "That's right, asshole! Question is, 'who are you?'". The two were uncomfortably close now, staring each other down, attempting to assert their dominance over the other man. Lo rolled her eyes slightly, hanging back with Cole and Dom, making extra sure the door they just barricaded was indeed secure. A sharp call cut through the tension in the group like a knife. The shrill voice of a Berserker shattering all immediate tenseness and replacing it with panic and fear.

"Oh shit, a Berserker!" Lo stepped forward towards the group, making a push-down motion with her hands, indicating it was best to remain quiet. "She can hear us..." Baird began what was to become the first of his constant unabashed release of useless or common knowledge. "She can smell us...". Lo turned a contorted face to her new team mates. "S'last time I wear male cologne, then!". Baird punched her shoulder lightly, and she took a step back from the immediate vicinity, displaying her arms out in a rolling gesture, indicating she leave the situation all up to him, then.

A berserker was not on anyone's Bucket List.

. . .

The newly formed Delta Squad scurried about the charred remains of what was once a Berserker. "Yum..." Baird muttered under his breath, sarcastically to himself, but the silent little sharp-shot stood just close enough to hear. "Betcha anything it tastes just like chicken." Loney responded, a wide smile on her face.

Baird didn't seem to take Lo's keen ears too positively, annoyed she was paying such close attention to him. He quickly stood from his kneeling place on the ground and swiveled around, parting Marcus and Dom with his strong gait. "We gotta get outta here. It's going to be dark soon."

"So?" Came Marcus' response. Lo was now just between him and Dom, her hands near her face as she made slight flapping motions with them. A "ke ke ke" sound escaped her mouth. Dom nodded to her, but how could Marcus, who had previously been imprisoned, know about Kryll?

. . .

Baird was visibly, and audiably, disapproving of Marcus' promotion. "Oh, no, don't give the smart guy a promotion. Give it to the jackass instead!" He ranted as he paced back and forth the courtyard. Cole, obviously used to his friend's attitude, ignored his perturbed fit. "So, we gotta hump dis to the factory, or what?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders, gearing up to go. "Thaaat is the longest Sunday stroll ever, brohan." Lo remarked, frowning. "Nah, screw that, I gotta better idea." Dom folded out a map, splaying it between his two very different squad mates. "Oh yeah, what is it, smart guy?" Baird sneered as he lashed out his attitude like a novice with a whip. "Enough." Demanded Marcus and he began to pull away from the group, "Let's move out.". Loney scuttled up beside Cole, opposite Baird. "S'he always like that?" she gestured her thumb in the mechanic's direction. "You have no idea." came Cole's laughing response.

. . .

"A plan? What plan! We don't have a plan!" Baird continued to bitch under his breath as they walked down an alleyway, making less and less of an effort to conceal his distrust and dissatisfaction with the group. "I don't see you commin' up with anythin' tangible, Mr. Genius!" Lo laughed up at the disgruntled blond. He didn't turn to look at her, instead he waved his Lancer begrudgingly and shifted his gaze in Cole's direction, looking for some kind of camaraderie. None came to him though, as the large hand of Cole passed in front of him to hi-five the tiny, gloved one of Loneychen's.

. . .

"Shit, shit, shit!" Loney ducked behind cover, pulling Baird and Dom down with her. "We got Boomers!" Baird picked himself up off the ground and shoved the smaller girl off him with more than necessary force. "Where there are Boomers, there'll be a shit ton of grubs!" He yelled in her direction, but the remark was meant for all. Loney plucked her Longshot from it's honored place on her back with all the style of someone who had done so many times before. "What the hell are you going to do with that?" Baird demanded. "Takin' care'a'ya Boomer problem, mate."

The sound of Lo's Longshot rang out as the first of the Boomers made his way into view. Blood popped and spewed from a vein in his neck, and yet he trudged along, firing his heavy rocket launcher in her - and Baird's - direction. The blast landed just before them, sending the two and Dom rushing to hide behind their cover. "You're just pissing it off!" Baird criticized, joining Dom in firing their Lancers at the beast's arms. "Just one more..." Loney trailed off as she pulled the trigger again, sending a bullet screaming into the skull of the locust.

"Okay, maybe you're not totally useless..." Baird admitted, bemused at the awkward compliment leaving his mouth, a little involuntarily, immediately followed up with "...but warn someone next time! I like my ass where it is!"

. . .

"THROWIN' FRAG!" Lo tossed her grenade as far into the distance as she could. It exploded, but the shrapnel only hit the surrounding cover. "You missed." Baird hissed at her from behind a scorched out car. "Piss off, like you could have made that any easier." Baird whirled around in protest, lobbing his own grenade forward and sending a few locust from their hiding spot. "Tad~a."

Loney scowled. "You're ten feet closer!." she said as she peered down her sniper scope. "Aren't you supposed to be some sort of long-range specialist? Where the hell'd that go?". Loney moved her scope so that it was facing the snarky man. "You wanna find out...?". She caught a glimpse of Baird flipping her off, just before blasting the head from a drone a few feet behind him.

. . .

Loneychen's attention focused on the lights hanging above the Stranded camp streets as the rest of Delta began conversing with Franklin according to Dom's plan. She hadn't seen decorations like those since before she joined the Gears. It was a distant memory she was now experiencing, an older brother holding her hand as they chased down the eldest brother under brightly colored paper lamps. He scooped her up in his strong arms, spinning her around, having just come home from a long mission abroad.

Loney was thrown from her reverie as the voices around her elevated in argument. She turned her head over her shoulder to see Baird watching her, his attention also unfocused on the heat of the moment.

Baird had not intended to stare at the short girl for long, just a passing glance to make sure he hadn't accidentally mistaken her for one of the unwashed stranded creeping around them. But something unexpected engaged their gazes to meet. Her eyes were glossy and shone dimmer than he was now becoming slowly used to.

Was she going to cry? Baird quickly averted his sight to Franklin as he came up beside him. "They stay here, yo. As collateral." Baird was pushed aside as Dom and Marcus began their trek outside the Stranded stronghold. "This is bullshit." Baird called over Tac/Com.

A stranded woman appeared behind Baird and began rubbing her hands on his armor. He flipped his hands in front of her, keeping her at arms distance "'EY 'EY, HANDS OFF THE MERCHANDISE." A slight smile came over Loney's face as she pressed in her earpiece.

"Be careful, you two." Cole and Baird exchanged glances and shrugs as to why Lo felt the need to remind a Gear to be safe, but thought not to press it.

. . .

"We are so going to get dysentery from this shit." Baird frowned at the mediocre display in front of them. A 'feast' by stranded standards, but Baird was obviously less than impressed. Lo turned from him to smile politely at Franklin. "Don't mind him, he's a spoiled brat."

"And fucking proud." Baird muttered to himself. Lo turned her head over her shoulder, still smiling, indicating to him that she had heard. He was slowly coming to terms with his team mate's keen senses. "Thank you for feedin' us, brohan. You certainly aren't obligated to." An ankle shot back to jab at Baird's, who straightened himself behind her. "My pleasure, sweet lady." said Franklin.

Cole had already begun packing in the food before Baird and Lo sat all the way down.

. . .

"Baird, we have the Junker, you there...?" Lo could hear Marcus call for them on her Tac/Com as she looked down her sights at the locus breaking through the stranded camp like a waterfall. "Yeah, you on your way, or what? We're getting screwed to the wall over here!" Baird threw down his lancer in anger as it clicked unrelentingly, out of ammunition. "We're almost there...".

A small clip slid across Baird's line of vision. He looked over to see Loney had removed it from her side pack and tossed it to him. "I don't use my Lancer often enough, take my spare ammo.". The blond gear paused a moment. Her spare? Was it emergencey ammo for when she couldn't use her rifle? "The bloody hell you lookin' at? We got shit to shoot, here! We ain't got time to shoot the shit!" and she half-smiled at him. "...Thanks." Was all he could muster in response as he jammed the clip into his weapon.

Baird hadn't noticed untill the fight was over that he'd been smiling, very slightly, to himself. When the idea occured to him he quickly made every attempt to frown as deeply as he could to compensate. Lo closed her eyes and shook her head, both amused and exhausted.

. . .

"Baird, turn that shit off." Marcus had just about lost it. Lo figured it was likely a good thing he sat so far away from Baird, who took shotgun in their vehicle, messing with the radio. It was her first chance to sit down and relax since the firefight and she was almost a little glad to have some music to listen to. It wasn't something she got to do often, especially in the company of others, and on mission, no less. "I doubt kryll can hear..." Loney sleepily spoke to Marcus as she laid her body against the back of Baird's seat. "Yeah, but I can." Dom half-smiled over his shoulder, only briefly, at her.

. . .

"I don't think that's such a good idea..." Cole shifted his weight in the rain, uneasy about splitting up the group in such poor conditions. "I'll take that under advisement, Gus, now move." Marcus gave him a stern scowl. Lo knew it would be much faster if they each took separate routes and could understand Marcus' decision, yet she still couldn't help but feel slightly worried as Baird and Cole turned and wandered out into the open sky. The mechanic turned a sideways glace over his shoulder to see Loney's uneasy expression. He and Cole both shrugged their shoulders in unison.

. . .

"Hey I think I got it!" Baird flipped a large switch, which clanked and sparked against the force. The lights in the facility flickered and buzzed, sending the compound back into life. He proudly stood up straight as he could, smiling smugly at Cole, who shook his head at him. "Yeah, now turn 'em off wouldja?" the comment came from an exasperated Dom. Baird's shoulders lowered as he spun around, confused, "Huh?". Loney pressed her earpeice in reluctantly "Don't worry about it, just find a way to the cart room...".

The Private took a moment to glance around the room. Blood stained the walls and bodies littered to floor. A massacre took place here, and not long ago by the looks of it. "We need a security code." Marcus and Dom had moved on ahead, taking no time to view the spectacle around them, likely having seen it several times before. "Hunh, Got one?" It was difficult to tell if Marcus was annoyed or amused. "Yeah, in my other pants..." Lo smiled as the two exchanged their back-and-forth. She figured that wherever her other comrades were at the time, that Baird and Cole were doing something similar.

. . .

"Sucks to be you guys." Loney peered down at her squad mates through the floor grating, easily picking out the blue glow from Baird's goggles atop his head. "Hey, you come down here and we'll discuss some sucking, girl." Came the blond's response as he sneered up at her. "Your inner bitch is showing.". Loney turned to the company on her level and could just make out the whiteness of Dom's teeth as he smiled at Baird's sexual comment. She elbowed him hard in the ribs as she passed him, taking his place beside Marcus.

"Hey there's room for one more, it's a fuckin' party down here."

. . .

"You shitheads need to get your own cart, no way am I standing next to you.". Loney laughed out loud at Dom's remark nodding vigorously in Baird and Cole's direction. "What?". Cole was making his way to their location, but Baird cut him off, "Let's just get this thing over with."

The carts each squealed and screamed against the rust-laden rails and Lo was forced to equipt her Lancer. A Longshot wouldn't mean anything here. She could hear the bustling noise of Marcus' Shotgun and almost wished she knew her way around short-ranged weapons a bit more.

A loud, raspy call was heard just above and Loney was instantly aware of the lambent Wretch crawling after her on the pipes attached to the ceiling. She revved her Lancer, attempting an intimidation tactic, but the animal just kept coming. She took aim and - click.

Out of Ammo. It wasn't until now that Lo remembered she had given the last of her Lancer rounds away to Baird back at the Outpost. There was no time to change to her longshot, not that it would do her any good, and she didn't carry a pistol. her only option was to wait for the creature to jump down and fight with it. As she readied herself for a possible explosion three shots rang out and a bewildered wretch fell to the ground. Lo turned to the side to see Baird had taken the Wretch out for her.

"...Thanks." Was all she could muster, but she doubted Baird had heard her.

. . .

"Oh, Christ, there are stalactites everywhere.". Baird turned from his spot on the descending platform to face the rapidly uneasing Private. "You're kidding. We just took down a couple of Boomers, there'll be a shit ton of Kryll here in a couple of hours, and you're worried about rock formations?". Loney scowled up at him, "You ever seen one of them things fall on someone? Cuz I have, and it ain't pretty! Stalactites, icicles, if it can impale you, it probably will someday iff'n you're not careful. Don't even act like you're happy to be down here.".

"Well, at least I'm not pissin' my pants like a little girl!" and with that Baird went laughing off to join Dom and Marcus as they scouted ahead.

. . .

Baird propelled his body behind cover just before a strange object fired into him. His stunt nearly landed him straight ontop of Lo, who pulled him in closer regardless. "The hell was that?" Cole wondered out loud just before the thing exploded. "Incendiary ammunition?" Lo turned to the now upright Corporal. "Nah, somethin different, goddamn Locust must coat their weapons in immulsion!"

It didn't take much time to bring down the Therons who guarded the path. A few Longhsot rounds here, some Lancer rounds there. Marcu's voice called over the Tac/Com as Loney searched the bodies for the weapon that nearly ended them. "Baird, what's your status?"

"Still en route. Who knows where the hell we are.". Loney tinkered with the strange bow she had found near a Theron's corpse. It had sharp blades at each end, and the arrows seemed to glow when strung, suggesting Baird was right about coating them in immulsion. She let the arrow fly, sending it to a far away wall at the other side of the cavern, it hit the rock and exploded upon impact.

Loney turned around slowly facing the others. "Oooooooohoohoo~"

. . .

Lo spent the next battle testing out her new toy. "If you explode me, I swear i'll haunt you." Baird sneered as he watched her fire an arrow just passed Cole, who was several feet ahead. "Oh, I'll be sure to be careful, the last thing I need is you hangin' 'round the rest of my life." she mocked. Baird raised an eyebrow, but continued to fire his lancer at the impeding Theron. He finnaly took one down, all by himself, and with a flashy grin he turned to boast, "Haha! You see that? And with out all that fancy-schmancy-" Loney was gone. She had left her spot beside him in favor of better cover. Momentarily distracted, a second Theron made his way up behind the Corporal, close enough to loom over him. He spun around, unable to get his lancer up fast enough to block the threat.

-Blam-

The Theron's head was suddenly gone, it's body falling limp onto the ground. "What was that about fancy weaponry? About how it's such a life-saver? Last time I leave you alone, can't even handle a wee guard.". Smiling, Lo reached a hand out to help Baird up. He hesitated a moment, but got up himself. "Hey, you'd be in the shit too if a Theron Guard had you pinned."

"Yeah, but at least i'm not pissin'' my pants like a little girl!" Loney spun around and left Baird in his spot. He only watched her dance a bit as she rejoined the group in the center of the factory.

. . .

"You're still using that thing!" Baird scowled as Lo drew back and arrow for her Torque Bow. "Hell yeah, brohan!" she smiled as the arrow kareened into a locust's neck halfway across the courtyard. "You don't feel weird using Locust weapons? Inhuman even?". Loney pulled behind cover next to him to reload. "'Course not. Why waste my Longshot rounds? I don't have an unlimited amount, you know. Gotta keep you safe from the nasty Therons somehow."

"Hey lovebirds. Less talking, more shooting?" Marcus was growing increasingly more irritated with the dawdling soldiers. "You guys are gunna make me puke."

. . .

-Hammer of Dawn is Online-

"That sounds like fun!" Lo had seen various soldiers use the Hammer on Brumak, Corpser, and Berserker. Today there was a Seeder blocking their path. Marcus handed the gun to Loney. "You ever fire one of these before?". She shook her head. "Nah, but how hard can it be?". Baird stepped into the window where the two were conversing. "Just make sure you don't hit Cole, he's way up front...there." he said, pointing.

"Just be glad it's not you down there, brohan." she said, smiling.

. . .

"TROIKA" Dom called, ducking behind cover. "Not for long..." With a single shot Lo took down the locust manning the turret. "I think you're gettin' better, baby!" Cole crashed one of his large thrashball hands down upon her shoulder. Loney grinned over to Baird, "What would you do without me?" She asked rhetorically. She got an answer anyways.

"Throw frags."

. . .

"They're not going anywhere just yet." Baird knelt beside a wounded Private vomiting blood. Loneychen sat down next to him, removing her side pack from it's place on her belt. She uncovered a small medical kit. "I can stop the bleeding, but only temporarily. these guys need to get out of here fast.".

Baird watched closely, almost interested, as Loney medicated and stitched the wounds she could manage. "So, what, you're a doctor now?". Lo shook her head, "My brother is. I grew up watching him do these things. I can't take the place of a real doctor though."

"Regardless, it makes me feel just a little better to have a medic on-site." Cole said as he lit a green distress beacon to harold a King Raven to the crash site.

. . .

"Okay, lay down some cover fire while I get this APC working.". Loney and Cole took cover behind a wall, a momentary reprieve, as the locust were not yet aware they were in the vicinity. The female private layed her longshot down beside her. "He really can fix anythin', can't he?". "Yeah gurl, that Baird has some serious skill! Not so much in personality, but you get used to him, he's pulled our asses out of the fire so much already, ya know?". Loney nodded, grinning at him as she looked behind her to see Baird unscrew a bolt from the APC. It fell from his hands and rolled away from him as he desperately tried to catch it. "Wonder where he gets it?". Cole stretched out his legs, relaxing, despite the near-warzone. "Folks say he's a genius. A child prodigey from the get-go. He would be a higher rank, but..."

"The bitchin'..."

. . .

"Snipers!" Dom called. "Oh we'll just see about that!" Loney took her sweet time aiming her Longshot at the bridge above them, making extra sure she got a headshot on every one of them. "One thing I hate more'n stalagtites. Drones thinkin' they can get me at m' own game!" Baird laughed beside her. "Tell me if you see any mechanic Drones, i'll take my wrenches to them!"

. . .

Loney shone a spotlight on RAAM, dispersing the Kryll that swarmed about him. This made him vulnerable - and killable. She could see Dom and Marcus below, scrambling to disperse the Locust leader and detonate the lightmass bomb. To her left Baird and Cole manned the King Raven's Troika turrets, firing on the Reavers and helping Lo with the Kryll. RAAM was tough, but he eventually went down, face first in a pool of his own blood.

"Take that, you ugly motherfucker."


	2. In Between

Hey~ A second installment! This one will be shorter due to the fact that i've not read much the comic books in between Gears 1 and 2. Enjoy~

. . .

Baird stood in his Sunday best, sleeves rolled to his elbows, at attention between Lo and Cole. Apparently, he had been stripped of his Corporal rank, but re-instated after the Lightmass Offensive, all without his knowledge untill now, at the feast being held in Delta's honor. He wasn't sure exactly how to feel. It was difficult for him to be completely angry with his two squadmates laughing beside him, but he had a niggling feeling they were laughing _at_ him, not with.

The dinner commenced, Delta Squad sitting at the head of a long dinner table. Loney felt they better take the chance to relax, as it may be the only chance for a while, now that they had a war-torn world to fix. Baird, however, was visibly perterbed. He shifted his weight in his chair, only nibbling his food, watching the others around him carefully, occassionally fiddling with his goggles. Loney leaned to his left side, bringing her fork over his steak, "Hey, brohan, if you don't eat this soon, I will..."

Baird pushed his plate towards her, and leaned his elbow on the table, setting his chin on his hand. He looked like a grumpy 10-year-old. Lo smiled, cutting the steak into small cubes. "Wha'ssa'matter?". Baird shot her a look from his shlumped position. "What's the matter! Look at these assholes! They're everywhere!" He gestured to all the gears at the opposite end of the table. "What the hell did they do, huh? We did all the hard shit!"

"Hey, chill out, man." Loney raised a hand to his arm, which caused Baird to recoil a bit. Not only was he not used to - or fond of - being touched, but he was without his armor now and her hand made more of an impact on his arm. "Jesus, your hands are cold..." he tried to make a convincing excuse for moving away. She looked at him a moment, but understood. She pushed his plate back to him. Baird awkwardly ate the cubes she cut for him, noticing his mashed potatoes were now gone.

After dinner, the other Gears filed out, leaving Delta, Anya, Hoffman, Prescott and a handful of other higher-ups in the Dining Hall. Dom and Cole stood together with some others, re-living the events of the two days previous. Marcus was doing much the same with the rest. it didn't take long for Lo to realize that Baird was gone. No one had bitched in at least 30 minutes. She broke away in attempt to find him.

Baird had seperated himself from the group, waiting impatiently on the balcony to be dismissed so he could go home and sleep. He was tired of this shit, tired of hearing about this mission, tired of these _people_. It wasn't long before Lo found him there, leaned against a pillar. The sleeves of his jacket had been pulled down over his arms.

"Not a party fan, huh?". Baird rolled his eyes, shifting his dominant leg and acting generally annoyed. Regardless of his silence, she continued, "I'mma country girl myself. Grew up rural. Not a whole bunch of people from my town.". Baird tossed his head. "Is that why you smell like an _ass_?" he jeered. He was visibly upset, and Lo was used to his outburts by now. She feigned a laugh. She had hoped that talking to him about her past would promt him to so so as well, however it didn't seem to be the case.

They stood there silently, watching the horizon. Baird motioned as if he were about to say something, but quickly dropped his hand. He paused a moment, but tried again. "So uh. This is a pretty good sniping spot...huh?"

She laughed.

. . .

"Hey smartass, nice shot, now show yourself!" Baird yelled to open air. Dom was quickly helped up from his place on the groud aside a sniped locust. "Hey, is that who I think it is?" he said. Baird only shook his head. "Could be a stranded...or a Gear." Marcus added.

Baird's attention was fixed on the optimal sniping points about them as the team moved out. It couldn't possibly be her. Lo had been taken on a seperate mission with Hoffman and would be gone from base longer then they would. Still, he didn't know anyone as good a shot as her, and kept his eye out for any midgets in blue.

. . .

A scream rang out, followed by the sound of a Lancer. Dom had been startled and fallen to the ground yet again. As Baird and the others made their way to assist they saw the figure of a dread-locked woman carrying a Longshot.

Baird sighed internally, and involuntarily.

. . .

"So, how long's it been? Three months?" Loney asked erroniously, knowing the Corporal would correct her, as she pressed a sterile pad onto an open wound on his shoulder.". He frowned, but certainly not at the pain. "Five. Five months. The hell have you been doing?". He got up suddenly, pulling the pad off his arm in defiance of her. He didn't need - or want - her help. Lo reached for the cloth, still in his hand, but he held it just out of reach, his arms easily extending a half-foot above her.

"Hoffman." She began."He took me on mission with him South Side. Rumors of Stranded attacking Gears in that area, we went to go - " She reached again, a grin pulling at Baird's lips at her struggle, " - go investigate." Baird tossed the med pad at her, it stuck over one of her blue eyes.

"What the hell? He couldn't have taken all of Delta with him? That sounds much more important than the mediocre shit _I've_ been doing!" Baird rolled his shoulders, pacing the room, becoming increasingly more annoyed. Why did this chick have to piss him off every time she spoke?

Lo shook her head. "Maybe...he just didn't want to bother you with it.". They each were silent for a long moment. Baird remained still as Loney attempted to re-apply the bandage to his wound. He let her do so, finaly. She smiled, "What would you do without me?"

"See a _real_ doctor." Baird huffed as he picked up his Lancer to leave,


	3. Operation Hollow Storm

Hey guys, back again today!, I updated the last chapter with a mid-sized one-shot, just somethin I forgot to add before. That's what I get for bein in a rush. Enjoy Chapter 3!

. . .

"Their last message came from up 'dis way. Towards that tunnel." Cole pointed as he and the rest of Delta made way to find what remained of Sigma Squad. Marcus took point, "Then let's check it out.". Lo remained at the back of the group, staring up into the mouth of the cave with disdain. "Back underground again?" She huffed. "That dick is going to be the death of me."

. . .

"What's in these things...? That's not Baird is it!" Dom ran ahead, kicking over the corpse of a burned out Gear. Loney could swear she felt her heart nearly stop. "Nah, that's his jumpmate. Rest in peace, Tanner.". With each word of Cole's sentace, Lo could feel the blood pumping in her body again. Her pulse returned to her, building adrenaline and making her restless to find that goddamn blond brat. She quickly overtook a hill, followed directly by Cole. A muffled sound resonated within the hall just then.

"Is that Cole?" Hey, get me outta here, man! Can you hear me?". The large Gear in question took his time waddling up to the pod Baird had been imprioned in. "Yeah, I hear ya Baird." he peered into the rectangular peek hole, the urge to wave at him high. "Then get me the hell out of here!" Baird shoved the closed door, indicating it was impossible to get out on his own. Loney moved beside Dom to help him unlock the door. "'Ey, 'ey, 'ey! Not you!". Baird scowled down at the girl from inside, who growled back, her eyes shining angrily in the dark around them.

Lo backed up silently as Baird was released from his prison. He exsasperatedly began to fill Delta in on the Locusts plans of taking prisoners. "They were gunna..._process_ me, man. Whatever that means.". The story was more than enough to rally the men. "Shit, I'll show these locust bitches some process!" Cole exclaimed as he began to lead the party off. "C'mon" Marcus added, turning to Loney, "We've gotta check this out.". She remained silent. "The hell is wrong with you?" Baird asked, noting her uncharacteristicly dour and slow reaction to orders.

She punched him square in the jaw.

. . .

Lo sent a sniper round barreling into a locust atop a Bloodmount. The target flipped off his ride and landed with force on the gound. She cocked her rifle again, aiming at the steed. "Shit, you're pissed today!" Baird screamed from behind cover in front of her as he reloaded. "Hey, so I know something interesting." Dom flashed a smile to Loney, who ignored him, from his place beside the mechanic, keeping his voice low enough that the brunette behind them couldn't hear. Baird continued firing. "Earlier we thought that maybe you'd been killed. I think Lo turned as pale as a ghost then."

"No shit..." Baird whispered in revalation.

. . .

"Theron!" She heard Carmine scream. "Just save me their bows!" Lo yelled to the group. Baird waved his hands in her direction, "The hell happened to yours?". She didn't take her eyes from the sight on her rifle, "Hoffman tried using it and broke it. I was so pissed. To make up for it he let me come back to Delta temporarily. That's why i'm here."

Baird laughed at her response. "So, you're really not improtant enough to make the squad on your own? HAHA.". Lo picked a piece of brick from the floor and lobbed it at him. "You'd miss me!". Baird paused. "Well at least she's talking to you again." Carmine said, jostling Baird's arm.

He picked up the brick Loney had thrown at him and threatened Carmine with it.

. . .

"Oh, bloody hell where am I?" Lo attempted to shake the dizzyness from her head. She could just make out Baird's figure leaning over her out of her blurry vision. He shook his head, "Kid, you don't even wanna know.". She took his hand and he helped her up. She noticed the bodies of Delta squad around them. She must have been the first person Baird decided to wake up.

. . .

Cole was enraged at the passing of Carmine, shooting the inner flesh of the worm's stomach with no reserve."Cole, c'mon stop pissing it off!" Baird grabbed his shoulder to steady him. "How the hell are you gunna tell me what not to shoot in here! LOOK'IT THIS SHIT!" Cole shook him off and continued firing. It didn't take long for the worm to convulse, sending Delta Squad careening to the floor. Baird had fallen backwards onto Lo, her elbow connecting with the top of his head.

"Oh, _that's_ why!" he said, gripping his head. He noticed Loney behind him, rubbing her elbow like it was pained. "Oh don't even give me that-" he started, but a loud rumbling sound cut him off. "Oh _shit_." Lo exclaimed as she stammered to her feet in lue of the rubble barreling down on them. She grabbed the back of Baird's armor and hauled him up as fast as she could.

"If I find out you were tryin' ta push me over just then I swear i'll-"

. . .

"So where the hell are we now?" Dom asked, exhaused. Baird whipped his head around, his all-knowing attitude making it's glorious return. "Looks like...the sternum." he said, "Or, at least, a giant worm equivalent of a sternum...yeah.". Lo cracked what might have been her first smile that day. "So, what, you're a Zoologist now?". Baird made to walk beside her through the cavity, returning the smile, "Yeah, well, I can't take the place of a _real_ Zoologist."

. . .

Lo took backseat between Cole and Baird aboard the Centaur. What was once a relaxing and soothing ride became a festering, miserable trip as blood continued to pour out of every crack in her armor. Not her blood. _Worm_ blood. She shifted uncomfortably, taking her longshot apart, trying desperately to clean the putrid gunk from it's inner workings. She wondered if the rounds were even still useable. She turned to see Baird cleaning the red from his goggles, holding them outside in the rain. When he'd finished she silently gestured her rifle towards him in plea to do the same.

Loneychen Fellwind had never given her rifle to anyone before. Not for keeps. Not temporary, not just to hold. It was the one thing that kept her safe. The one thing she knew how to do well in this world. And she was almost frightened at how easily she was able to give it up to Baird, even just to could clean it.

"Don't you dare drop it." She warned. "_Please_," he teased, "Like I would render you more useless than you already are, haha."

. . .

Loney's spot seemed almost custom made for her as she stood between Cole and Baird under the auning, rain pouring down to either side of them as they just barely fit on the cement porch together. Baird had decided to go on a tirade about how Loney needed to know how to defend herself better. She wondered where this advice had even come from, as it was never a concern of his before.

Baird grimaced at the longshot upon Lo's back, still stained red from their worm excursion. If that thing had needed more than a little cleaning Lo would be at the complete mercy of the world, and he didn't like that one bit. He was sure that having to protect her would be the biggest pain in the ass in the world.

"See, you hold your Lancer up like this, right, and hit riiiight here." he gestured to the spot on his neck where it met his collar, "And splat, head comes off.". "I can do that from 20 yards away already, Baird. And i'll stay nice and clean doing it." She smiled, but understood the point of the lecture. Having to be protected, by Baird of all people, would be the biggest pain in the ass in the world.

. . .

"Uuuuh, there are icicles!" Lo shifted uneasily in the Centaur, her voice breaking slightly. "So?" Dom asked from his place on the turret. "Soooo, shoot 'em down!" she demanded. They crawled forward, ever closer to the overpass where the icicles hung, possibly a foot wide at the base. And still Dom did nothing. "Goddamnit, Dom!", she stiffened and bumped her shoulder into Baird's. This action had Baird slapping the back of Dom's head before he knew what he was doing. Dom responded to the hit and shot the frozen water down, sending chunks of it everywhere.

It wasn't until they were passed the archway that Lo realized she had grabbed Baird's other wrist. She silently relaxed her grip and moved her hand away as fast as possible. they were both silent, looking straight up the path they were taking. Cole chuckled to himself.

"So, we just pretendin' that didn't happen?". They each shot him a glare.

. . .

Baird had asked Loney on their return trip to the surpface if she'd like to take the guns to shoot down any stalactites on the way. It was an awkward offer, because that would leave him in the back with all the Stranded, which he had absolutely no intention of ever doing. Ever. But she declined. "No...i'd rather not have to look at them. Just...I trust you to bring them down, okay?" She said, almost a whisper. Anyone with half a brain could tell she was uncomfortable being there and for whatever reason, Baird's niggling twitch to be an asshole relaxed for now. He nodded and climbed the ladder to man it himself.

The stranded each took turns asking Loney questions. They were normal things like her name and where she came from, but eventually one smartass had to speak up. "So I heard ladies ain't allowed to be Gears 'nless they got somethin' wrong with 'em. Y'know. Downstairs. What's your deal?". Baird had overhead and with all the restraint he could muster he kept himself from kicking the guy in the face.

"PCOS." Loney responded nonchalontly. "Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome. It doesn't normally render you barren, usually just makes it hard to concieve. But mine started little cancer cells. And THAT certainly fucked me up." She laughed a bit at herself, but she was the only one. A moment of silence hung there awkwardly before Lo began to laugh again. "Hey, it's cool. I like being a Gear much better than being stuck in some skanky Birthing Creche." She couldn't see from where she was, but Baird was smiling smugly.

. . .

"Oh no, you are not putting me, alone, in close quarters, with_ her_." Baird protested against Cole, who was already locking himself into a Grindlift with another Gear. He waved to Baird and Lo as he shut the door, smiling, behind him. "C'mon, asshole, let's just get down there." Lo said laughing.

As they jostled back and fourth in the bumpy lift Baird kicked her knee. "Whoops!" he mocked. "Footsies some other time, brohan, we got work to do."

It had been a while since she had used that word and Baird guessed that Loneychen was finaly begining to feel better. She just hadn't been herself since the scare incident earlier. He tried increadibly hard not to smile.

. . .

Lo shot the rider straight off a Reaver. He came crashing down into the lift. Blood splattering across the squad there. "Great." Baird bitched, "I just got completely clean, too.". "I'll pay whatever slave girl you have to do your dry cleaning somethin' extra." She mocked, pulling ammunition off the corpse as his ride creeped away. "You're using your Lancer...?" Dom asked when she didn't give up the ammo to anyone. "Yeah, why not..." she rolled her eyes and Baird crossed his arms in pride.

. . .

"Well, this is harder'an I thought!" Loney yelled as she pushed Baird out of his cover. He was forced to stand just behind her as she reloaded her Lancer. "Don't just run away like a pussy! Use your chainsaw!" She scowled back at him, but wasn't able to retort before their cover lowered.

They each ran for the hills.

. . .

Baird backed away as Loney took hold of the locust turret. "Yeah, okay, you can handle that...I guess. Just don't turn Marcus into stew, he'd curse us both from beyond the grave!". Loney's short arms made the turrent difficult to move and after a few minutes she stopped and ducked behind cover with him. "Arms hurt like a bitch, you do it." she admitted. It was a weird thing for Baird to hear and he paused a moment to check if he'd heard her right.

"Uh, Baird? Troika? Gun? Cover fire? Yeah? Speaky English?"

. . .

"Lookie what I got here~" Baird sauntered his way up to Lo after a small firefight. "A Torque Bow. From one of the Therons. That _I_ shot down.". Lo laughed. "Do you want a medal? So you got _one_. You're even now." she said as she snatched the bow away from him without a fight.

"RISE! Higher my chidren! Then we shall sink our enemies in a great flood!"

The locust queen caller over her PA system for about the 100th time. Loney shook her head. "You know, I just realized; Why is she speaking English?"

. . .

Baird was in the shit again. A Mauler barreled his way toward him and Cole, Shield up, full on protection. Their Lancers did nothing and Baird could see out of the corner of his eye that there was some serious shit going on over on the other side of the room as well. "We are so _screwed_."

As the Mauler began his charge on their cover a sharp call rang out. Loney's Longshot. Baird hadn't heard it in a long while, but he'd recognize it anywhere. The heavy locust dropped his ball and chain and fell to the ground, missing half his face.

"That asshole nearly fell on me!" Baird screamed across the revene.

"You're welcooome~"

. . .

Loney looked around the pen. "There are only two Reavers." she poined out. Baird whirled around on the balls of his feet. "Looks like _you_ get left behind! Haha!". He climbed up on the Reaver he had claimed for himself, Dom already seated in the back seat. Suddenly his foot was pulled and Lo climbed up and seated herself in his seat just behind him. "Hey! You're heavy!" he said, shifting in the saddle, trying to push her hands off his shoulders.

"Kiss my ass, now move."

. . .

Driving a Reaver was awkward. Driving a Reaver with a tiny, angry sniper was even moreso. The beast moved faster than either of them had expected and Lo was forced to hold Baird around his waist. If he had colored or blushed at all he would have attributed it to the wind blasting his face.

"Shoot the riders off the Reavers, Longshot!" He pushed his back up into her, bumping her weapon, firing accidentally just across Marcus' view.

"I LIKE MY HEAD ON MY SHOULDERS!" Marcus screamed, furious.

They were still and silent the rest of the fight.

. . .

A shot came crashing down upon their Reaver and Lo was thrown from the seat. She managed to just barely grab a strap on the saddle. Both Dom and Baird reached out a hand to her, but Dom was too far behind to reach. A treetop hit Lo's foot, jostling her before she was able to reach Baird's hand.

Baird paused before reaching his hand out again. What was he doing? Trying to save her? Did her life really matter enough to him that he'd want to do that? When did that happen? Baird was then reminded of the pain of being socked in the face the previous day.

"Baird!" Lo called out to him, reaching her free hand as far as she could. He snapped back to reality and they joined hands. Pulling her back into the back of the seat was impossible from where she was. Baird allowed her to sit in front of him, his arms around her shoulders as he drove the Reaver onward.

His face rested just next to hers, close enough to where she could feel his beath on her cheek. She was silent and shaking, but Baird said nothing.

. . .

"Hey kiddo! Glad to have you back at base!" Hoffman crashed his hand into Loney's shoulder as they huddled off to assist the evacuation of Jacinto. "Uh. I wish I could say '"'m glad to be back', sir.". Hoffman nodded. "Yeah, this place is goin' to the dogs, just get out that pretty little sniper 'o yours and we'll be fine! Flank with me on the right!" Loney obeyed, but turned her head around to see Baird shrug his shoulders, irritated, as the rest of Delta headed left.

. . .

"Take out the grubs comin' up the stairwell, Fellwind!" Hoffman ordered. Her sights were already on them. "No shit!" she called sarcastically, pausing a moment to remember who she was talking to. "Oh...". Hoffman shook his head as she fired her gun. "I'll forgive it, for now. You been hanging around Corporal Baird entirely too long!"

"Yeah...no kidding."

. . .

"Baird, Cole, and Lo, you assist in getting the Lightmass Bomb ready.". Loney nodded in response to Marcus' orders. "You ain't gotta tell me twice, brohan." she answered and the three of them left for the bunker. She was not about to go back _underground_.

Loney spent the next few hours handing Baird tools and reading maps for him, while Cole did all the heavy lifting. "Hey, what are you doin' being a Gear?" He slammed a fist into Lo's shoulder as she sat beside him, "You make an excellent toolbox.". Loney scoweled.

"You want a wrench in your ear?". But she couldn't help but smile when Baird laughed out loud.

. . .

Loney watched both horrified and amazed as they took down the Lambet Brumak with the Hammer of Dawn. It's explosion was likely the biggest one any of them would ever see, and the result was exactly what they wanted. Lo stood next to Baird as Jacinto slowly crumbled, the walls around the coast giving way, the water from the sea flooding the giant hole. it may have been the hardest thing many of them had to watch. As she stood there, Baird rested his free elbow on her shoulder. She didn't turn to look at him. Even Corporal Baird, Mr. Anti-social and Wise-ass Extraordinaire needed a bit of support as the scene before them unfolded.

And she was glad to give it.


	4. In Between  Reprise

Yay, installment numbah 4! Again, a much shorter one than the last as there's a bunch I don't know about between Games 2 and 3. Also I must apologize for all the typos. When i go to preview, change, and save the previous pages, it never really does. IDK what you are doing FF. Net. Perhaps it is merely user error /shine

. . .

Baird sat in the galley of the CNV Sovereign, free of his armor for the first time in days. Three months of nothing but running back and fourth, fighting, and more fighting had run Delta squad ragged. However, now they would set sail, free of the mainland - and the lambent. Loney had emptied the last of the Chili from the pot she had cooked it in to fill the lunchroom tin. A plethora of hungry gears buzzed around, attempting nonchalance while she finished. Before leaving the Cafeteria line she filled two bowls with food and brought them to the table her Blond comrade was sitting near.

"Ya sure ya haven't poisoned that?" Baird asked, a smug grin across his face. He was tired. Too tired to care about starting fights. "Please, if I had any rat poison you'd know. Cuz i'd be dead." Lo laughed weakly. "Eh, it's not bad." Baird mumbled through his mouthful. "Beats fried Berserker at least."

This small comment sent Lo reeling down memory lane. This was possibly the first time Lo had sat down long enough to reflect on everything that had happened to them and the rest of Delta Squad in the past 9 months. She remembered her conversation with Baird just after Marcus fried it with the Hammer of Dawn. It was the kill that marked the groups conception. Loney smiled absent mindedly.

"The hell are you grinning at?" Baird asked, his face was already stained red around his mouth. The girl gear had to hold back the urge to wipe his face with a cloth like his mother. "Just thinkin' about when Delta was first charged with the Lightmass Offensive."

"Worst day of my life." Baird teased.

. . .

"You're _leaving_?" Baird had nearly fallen out of his chair. It had only been a week since they'd sailed from the Harbor of what used to be Jacinto. "Uh huh. Hoffman's orders." Loney spoke, no joy filled her words, no shine in her eyes. The air hung heavy and thick as the two shared only silence. The other Gears in the lobby quickly moved from their places and Loneychen and Baird were left to themselves.

"And you'll be back...when?". She didn't answer. "Heellllooooo?". She shook her head. "I don't know, okay!". Baird spun around, gripping his head in anger. "What the hell, don't yell at me! _I'm_ not sending you all the way to fucking _Anvil Gate_.".

Loney stood silently for a moment, but all too soon she slowly knelt to the floor, her face in one of her hands. She was visibly distraught and didn't know what to do. Baird was equally useless. Every ounce of him was telling his body to call her a stupid bitch and storm out of there on a high horse. He couldn't, though. He knew it was wrong somehow. He had saved her from falling from the Reaver, but he still didn't know _why_. And it just pissed him off more.

"I don't wanna go, Baird. This place...it feels too much like home...". Baird sat on the floor next to her, a bit more closely than he was completely comfortable with. "Then just tell Hoffman to fuck off! We don't need him takin' our best guys and leaving us vulnerable!". Loney shook her head. "He says it's important...and he's already given the order. You know how he is.".

They sat there in silence. Loney thought about leaning over, putting her weight on his shoulder, but she was afraid. If he moved and let her fall, as it was in his character to do, what would that say? How would she handle it even if he didn't? Instead she just moved her arm to brush his, her hand resting on his wrist.

"Jesus, your hands are cold."

. . .

"Man, you're not the only one sad Lo's leavin'." Jace Stratton remarked as he scraped the bottom of his chili bowl. "I have a feelin' we ain't gunna _eat_ for the next few months." Baird stood silently in the window as he watched the people outside on the helipad. Lo was saying goodbye to the rest of Delta. Hoffman placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned to board the King Raven. She paused a moment, looking back, and Baird could swear that they made eye contact. As Jace came to stand next to him, waving his friend off, he asked, "Hey, so, why aren't you up there with them?"

Baird flipped the chili bowl out of Jace's hands and onto the floor before storming away.

. . .

"Hey brohan!" Loney called to Baird from her seat at the rounded table. She had been back for nearly an hour and was fast at work playing cards with Anya, Jace, and Marcus. "Come play with us! It's been forever!" Lo rose to greet him, but he waved a hand at her, staying her movement. "I... can't." He stammered, "...busy.". Baird retreated from the room.

Baird crashed his body into the floor in front of a broken Generator. His body was now awake and filled with...what was that? Adrenaline? Was he pissed? Was he upset? His chest felt like it was on fire, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what the hell was wrong with him. _Fixing this Generator will calm you down_, he thought. He glanced around for his wrench.

It came to him, but not in the way he was expecting. Lo stood over Baird, armor-less, in a wife beater and plaid sleep pants, a wrench in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She looked different from how he remembered her. Softer. Less of a bitch as she held out the beverage to him, smiling.

"So, you think you can just take off for a year, and then come back, and just..._play cards_? Like you never _left_?" Baird waved around the wrench that had been handed to him, trying not to make eye contact. "It was only 10 months." Lo reminded him, sitting next to him on the hangar floor, "And yes. Yes I do.". Baird took a sip of his coffee, peering over the rim of the cup at her. Lo's hair had grown out. The long mohawk was now down to her back. Her eyes, though they were surrounded by dark circles, they still shone as she smiled back at him. He couldn't take it anymore. An outburst was imminent. Baird stood.

"Look, you _stupid_ broad. You don't just _waltz_ into someone's life, tip them on their ear, then leave for a _year_. " Baird started, shaking his hands at her, trying to put words to the weird , hot sensation in his chest.

"10 months." Lo corrected again. But Baird moved on.

"Do you know what i've had to put up with? Carmine thinks he knows his way around a Torque Bow. _Guess what_? HE DOESN'T. And with him exploding everything _except _lambent, i'm over here trying to work a Longshot. Cuz, ya know, you kind of get used to some things exploding on their own when you have a specialist with you constantly.

And you know that kid? Jace? Doesn't understand a damn thing. He thinks everything I say is a joke! Kid never stops laughing and _never shuts up_.

Marcus is himself, grumpy jackass. Always sends me on the shittiest missions too. I was down in the sink hole a few weeks ago looking for old parts that_ I can't even fucking use_. And Dom? He's turned into the mopiest guy, I can't even talk to him, cuz, ya know, I don't know what he's going through. Even if I did, I think he'd turn green and throw a fucking _vending machine _at me."

Baird paused a moment to catch his breath. He started his next sentence without thinking, the first time he'd done so in as long as he can remember. "You and Cole are the only guys I can trust, and you're _both_ gone all the time. I don't know what to do! I feel like I could just _explode_ sometimes."

"You're exploding now." Loney said calmly. She had waited patiently for Baird to say all that he wanted. She smiled up at him as he sat back down on the floor. "Yeah...yeah. I needed that. Uh, thanks." he said, gingerly reaching for his coffee.

"I understand, Baird. The last thing I wanted to do was leave. I have done nothing but curse Anvil and pester the fuck out of Hoffman _every day _until I could manage to make it back home.". Baird turned his attention to her when she used the word 'home'.

"I wanted to come home way sooner, but it's been crazy shit lately, Locust and Lambent on all sides, fucking our shit up, burning the food, stealing the ammo, killing the Gears..." She paused. "They killed my brother. You know, the doctor? He had a bum leg, couldn't get away when they stormed the ward. After he died Hoffman sent me home."

The swelling in Baird's chest had diminished some as he sat there, casually talking to Lo. He realized they were having a normal conversation. No sarcasm, no rage, so sexual undertones. They were just talking, like friends. And he didn't know how he felt about it. Did he like it?

"Eugh...Now I feel like a jackass for yelling at you. I'm...I'm sorry about your brother." Loney smiled at him. "You _are_ a jackass, but don't. There wasn't anything we could do. It was just his time. And now i'm home. And staying for as long as I can."

Baird nodded. "Well, at least Jace will stop bitching about not having anything to eat now."

. . .

Dom hadn't seen hide nor hair of anyone in several hours before he ran into Anya in the hallway. She told him Loneychen was home and he was a bit eager to greet her. She told him that the last time she'd seen her she was heading to Baird's work hangar.

As Dom peeked his head into the workroom he beheld a sight that was unexpected and a bit uplifting. Baird was leaned up against the broken Generator, an empty coffee mug in hand. Loney was leaned against his shoulder. They appeared to have fallen asleep next to one another. Dom took down a blanket from a top shelf and spread it gently across his two friends.

"Good night, you two". And Dom flicked the light off.


	5. Lambent Invasion

Hey there, last of these installments.

**PLEASE BE ADVISED. THIS PAGE WILL CONTAIN A BUNCH OF SPOILERS FOR THE LAST GAME. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THROUGH GEARS OF WAR 3, PLEEEEEEEEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED.**

Thanks guys!

. . .

Loneychen peeked out from over Baird's elbow at the town of Hanover as they prepared to land the King Raven. "So...it's hunting time?" she asked. Baird waved his gloved hand, agitated. "Ah yeah. Same shit, different lies! When do we actually ever _find_ something on one of these recon missions?". He clung to the overhead bar aside Cole, bitching away, true to form. Lo turned to smile, "I found a Grand Piano.". Baird snidely narrowed his eyes at her from over his shoulder, "Yeah, I been meaning to ask. Just what the hell was the point of that? Actually, remind me again why we thought Hanover was a good place to look for supplies?" He switched his attention to Cole, whose mood was just as bright as ever.

"Baby you gotta trust the Cole Train to find the goods! This is my turf! Cougars territory!". The large former-star could barely contain his excitement to be home. Baird shook his head at the thoughts of his own home in Tyrus. It was likely overrun with Stranded squatters. His nice, big inheritance. Wasted. He turned his head back to Lo a second time. "The hell you say you were from again?"

"A town outside Anvil. The other side of the desert, in a valley." and she made a cupping motion with her hands showing the valley and it's surrounding mountains. "Oh right. A country _bumpkin_. I remember."

He remembered? Had she even ever told him? It took until the aircraft had landed and it's contents began to file out for Loney to finally remember herself. The night on the balcony he made fun of her for being a hick.

""Ey, get the hell down here, pipsqueak. We got shit to do.". Baird waved her off, the last to exit the Raven.

. . .

Loney remained silent as the grave as Baird and Sam exchanged remarks. She walked ahead with Cole, scouting for an outpost, pretending she wasn't hearing what she was _clearly_ hearing.

"Yeah, well, that'll save me poisoning ya dinnah."

"You'll miss me one day..."

Cole raised his large, calloused hand to tousle Lo's mohawk. "Hey, girl, there's only room for one bitch in his life, ya dig?". Lo wished to curl up and hide under Cole's giant hand for the rest of the trip, feeling the eyes on her like shards of glass piercing her skin. She had been less sarcastic towards Baird since their night in the hangar. Was he losing interest because she no longer fought against him?

Wait...was he ever interested at all? And when did _she_ become interested herself?

"I am so confused."

. . .

"Target the pods!" Baird pointed up the Lambent stalk. Loney returned his gaze with an glower as she loaded her rifle, "I know what i'm doing, asshole!". One good pop was all it took to render the stalk's pods useless. "Jesus, what the hell crawled up your ass today? You're all kinds of fucking weird.". Loney shook her head, reloading, and glaring down her sights. "Like you even _care_ why...". "Can't you do anything right?" Asked Carmine as he shot his Torque Bow off prematurely.

. . .

"GUNKER!" Sam was taking Dom's job temporarily as she warned her squad of the incoming danger. Lo and Baird took cover behind an old car as they readied their weapons for battle. "Are you seein' this shit!". Loney peered down her sights, contemplating whether she should answer him. "...duck." She said, at a near whisper. "Huh?"

The Gunker's shot came down upon their cover as Loney moved to ready herself. Baird was thrown to the ground as he had not heard Lo's warning. He knew she did that on purpose. "The hell is your problem!"

"_You_ are my problem!"

. . .

"I dunno what her fuckin' deal is man. One moment, polite conversation. Next moment, I'm staring down the wrong end of a sniper scope.". Baird moved through the abandoned Grocery Store at a snails pace, Carmine hanging back to keep him company. "She's been angry ever since we got off the Raven." he pointed out, "You think she's...you know. Jealous?". Baird stopped, "Jealous? Of what? Sure, I'm taller and _much_ better looking but -" he was cut off. "No, I mean of Sam. Lo did kinda go downhill after that little spat you two had.". Baird shook his head. "What the hell, why would you be jealous of something like that!"

"I dunno, isn't that _your_ thing? You and Lo I mean."

. . .

"Don't you people ever try gratitude? Just to break up the friggin' monotony of sarcasm?". It was all Loney could do to stifle a smile at Baird's remark. "Brohan, you are chewing the hypocrisy cake right now.". It had been a while since Baird had heard Lo's voice in a tone that wasn't laced with malice. It took him so off guard that he hadn't heard Sam's responding comment, nor the better majority of the conversation behind him. He stared at Lo as she held her old, red-stained rifle close to her, it's scope facing the ground.

"Hey, I still hate you, okay?"

She smiled.

. . .

"There's a sniper on that Archway!" Carmine's call didn't even have time to leave his mouth before Loney's Lancer was slicing into the neck of the enemy. Locust using rifles was one thing. But Lambent? That was a new kind of rage. She tipped the corpse over the railing and it landed between Cole and Sam on ground level. Baird paused a moment to look up, and Loney gave him the devil horns. "Fuck yeah, asshat! How's that for dinner?"

A smile, unknowingly, came across Baird's face as he ran to catch up on the battlefield.

. . .

"Aw, Carmine, yer a glass-half-empty kind of guy, ain't ya?" Sam teased. "Yeah, buy me a beer and i'll show ya." came Carmine's response. "Oh, she won't buy you anything," Baird interrupted, "Your name's not _Dom_."

"That's right..." Loney whispered, more to herself than anything. Sam had the biggest crush on Dom. Lo's face colored when she finally remembered, feeling like a jackass for treating Baird like trash. She sheepishly raised her rifle, tapping him lightly on the wrist with the end, her head hung low. She didn't meet his gaze when he turned around.

"Sorry..." She apologized. The others had rounded the corner, advancing further up the bridge as the two stood in place, silent. After a time, Baird punched her shoulder. "'Ey. You get _me_ a beer, and we'll call it even."

. . .

Loney grabbed hold of Baird's left hand as he slid down the collapsing bridge. His other hand connected with Sam's. "Uh. I suppose you want me to say i've always loved you..." his gaze shifted back and fourth between Sam and Lo, resting finally on a familiar set of shining, blue eyes. "But, I don't! I really, really don't!". Sam growled, attempting to pull the snarky bastard back to their level. Loneychen merely smiled at him. A loud crash boomed around them, the rest of the bridge giving way. Baird saw Loney mouth something, her eyebrows pushed into a sad arch, but couldn't make out the words.

The five members of Delta Two fell with the rest of Centennial Bridge into the sea below them. Lo and Baird's hands never leaving contact until they crashed into the water.

. . .

"Uh...I think you got it, Baird." Carmine coughed through his helmet as it leaked liquid from every crack in the headgear. Baird leaned on his side in the grass, equally drenched, as the rest of Delta clamored to shore. "Hey, we walked away in one piece. That's what counts, right?". He leaned forward to see Cole and Sam splayed in the grass, and Loney was making her way from the shore. "Yeah, firing on all pistons, baby." Cole groggily attempted to right himself.

"Uh, look sharp people!" Carmine shouted, pointing to a cliff ahead where a platoon of Locust were marching, "That's not Search and Rescue!". The rest of the squad quickly rose to their feet in a huff. "C'mon! We gotta haul ass!" Cole rallied, "We gotta get to the ship before that freak parade does!". Baird took off with the rest of them, but quickly realized they were missing a particular midget.

"Hey, Lo, what are you even _doing_?" he questioned as the subject dug hastily in the sand and grass around their crash site. She hadn't heard him in her distressed state. "Helloooo?" Baird steadied her hysteric movements by grabbing her shoulder.

"I...I can't find my rifle! I can't find my rifle!"

. . .

Loney clung to Baird's Lancer as he wielded a pistol next to her. She held it close to her, almost as a mother would a child - or a bum would his last bit of change. She knew how to work the thing, press a button and bullets fly out the end. But the aiming was different, more erratic, less precise. The complete lack of control over her weapon frightened Lo and she wondered how anyone could be used to using them. She shook unconsciously.

"Hey, chill the hell out, man. You know what you're doing with that thing. You had the _best_ teacher." Baird called from behind a separate cover as a firefight broke out. Loney tried to smile at him, assure him that she was fine, but the muscles in her face barely seemed to work at the time, and she wasn't even sure herself what was going to happen.

Baird moved from his cover to reach the retreating lambent. Lo moved with him, despite being not at all ready, squatting behind a large rock next to him.

_Stay close to Baird, that's the plan_, she thought. Loney spent the rest of the fight glued to the Corporal's side like a shy child.

. . .

Lo was frozen solid as a Lambent drudge stomped toward her. Baird's lancer wasn't anywhere near empty, a spare ammo pack rested in her sidepack, and the chainsaw worked just fine. But she couldn't move. Despite the fleeting lessons with Baird, she just couldn't feel safe with the weapon. She felt exposed and cold and numb. All she could do was stare and shake as the enemy slowly made his way toward her near the back of the battlefield.

Fortunately, she had stayed pretty close to her original plan and Baird was not far away from her. He soon caught on to the situation. "What the hell are you doing? Get him!" he yelled. Loney couldn't even turn to face him. "_Shiiit_." he swore, realizing that if she stood there much longer she was going to die. He called out to Marcus, who spun around in answer, as Baird dove to drive Lo to the ground.

Marcus took out the drone easily. Baird shielded Lo from the force of the creature's explosion from their place in the grass. He continued to lean over her until the firefight was over. When the all clear sounded from Cole, the blond slowly attempted to lift himself up, but was met with resistance when it was discovered that Loney was clinging to the front of his armor.

Baird attempted to shake her off, but as he looked down at her, eyes closed, body crunched up under him, he started to feel sorry for her. He hadn't thought until now that being a specialist was more a problem than a help, especially since Lo was so proficient at what she did. But seeing her in such a fettle state simply because she lacked a certain weapon made Baird inwardly promise that he'd spend more time teaching her to use a Lancer.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to calm her down. "Fight's over. Time to go.". Loney said nothing as she rose from the ground with him, steadying herself on his arm. To her surprise, he didn't move from under her, berate her, or call her names. Though she thought best not to mention it.

. . .

Baird kicked around in the rocks and grass that had loosened from the exploding Lambent in the latest battle. He was looking for something specific, far from where the group was heading. Lo payed no attention to what he was doing, she simply stood next to him, watching his back, making sure it was still there beside her.

Suddenly, he stood up, triumphant. "Aha! Gotcha!". Baird spun around on the balls of his feet, holding out his prize; an imulsion-covered Longshot. "Tad~a!". Loney stared at the weapon as the liquid dripped to the ground. And then to Baird, looking him directly in the eyes.

"Baird...". She whispered, not knowing what to say. He colored and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, pushing the rifle out to her further with his other. "Just take the damn thing, okay?". She nodded, reaching for the gun, "Thank you...I owe you one big hug.", And Loney smiled sweetly, the first chance she'd had to in several hours.

"Yeah, i'll take a rain check on that one."

. . .

"I hate those chompers..." Baird shivered, watching the wild Tickers chew through the wreckage of the downed Beast Barge, "Little creeps can't leave anything alone. Ugh!". He shook again. Dom smiled beside him. "Yeah, imagine rooting around looking for parts all the time." he said. Lo burst into hysteric laughter behind them, earning more than just one scowl. She hadn't come down from her excitable state yet and was overly joyous for something to laugh about now. Baird whipped his head back to Dom. "Hey, I make intelligent use of free resources! That's how come we're still alive to bitch about it!"

"C'mon," Marcus called, rallying the group onward, "The Locust must have more of the gas Barges.". Nearly as he said so, a shrill call echoed against the mountains on the shore. "There's our ride. Let's track it.".

As the group followed the scarred Sergent, Baird turned and skulked over the ruined machinery. He tore a component from the mainframe and spun to catch up. He found Loney patiently waiting for him, a huge, amused grin on her face.

"You have swallowed the hypocrisy cake whole, brohan..."

. . .

"What is that...?" Loney inspected the One-Shot, hefting it up on a piece of cover. "Oh, you'll like that." Baird said, tapping the scope on the top as it beeped, auto-aiming. "oh..._ooooh_." She responded, grinning. The sound of the weapon resonated, accompanied by near-maniacle laughter from Lo as a Locust Drone completely exploded. She used it for the rest of the battle.

"See, told ya."

. . .

"Man, there's so much shit going on I can't even hear myself think!" Marcus cursed at the noise. Lo pulled into cover next to him, Baird and Cole following suit, proceeded a bit by Hoffman. "Welcome to Anvil Gate, brohans." she said. Hoffman growled and spat. "Ain't ever seen this many of 'em out here before!". Dom leaned over from manning the turret next to the group, "That's probably because Lo picks them off before they even come into view.". She laughed, "Nah, I ain't that amazin'. There are actually an abundant amount of Snipers here! Lot's of high grou-" she stopped. Baird had picked up a spare Longshot from a shelf near their cover.

"The hell are you doing with that?" she asked as a Boomer made his way into the courtyard. "Takin' care of your Boomer problem. Mate." He grinned.

Baird missed four times before Lo took the rifle away from him.

. . .

"We need transport, weapons, and anyone who can fight." Marcus gave the order to Baird, Loney and Cole as the rest of Delta squad prepared to move out to Mercy. As Delta Two turned to head back into Anvil's courtyard Lo turned to her teammates, "So, got any ideas.". Baird shook his head. "Man i'm tired of rackin' my brain for you freeloaders. Come up with a plan yourselves for once!". Cole turned to Lo and shrugged.

Loney returned her gaze to Baird, "Alright then." she smiled, "What about the Gorazini."

"Oh...that's a _good_ plan..."

. . .

"Y'know, I was expecting bouquets, a band maybe - somethin'..." Baird turned to Cole and Lo as Delta Two re-formed with Delta One on Azura. They each nodded solidly. "Hey," he realized, "Where's Dom and Dizzy?". Marcus paused solemnly, collecting every ounce of his stoic demeanor. "Dizzy is taking the submarine off-shore." He stopped again, his gaze meeting each of his three comrade's before continuing. "Dom...Dom didn't make it."

"Oh _fuck_ no..." Baird breathed. And he was struck with a dramatic realization. In the two years he had known Dom, from the moment he joined Marcus in defeating that first berserker to now, Baird had slowly grown fond of the snarky bearded man. The pain swelling in his heart saddened and angered and confused him all at the same time. It was a strange and alien mix of emotions.

"Somebody's gunna pay! Somebody's gunna _FUCKING_ pay!", Cole unleashed his fury, and Baird figured he was about to do the same himself. He had never before wanted to murder something like he did now. He turned to Lo who stood still as a statue, staring at Marcus, the sides of her mouth twitching, her eyes threatening to explode with tears. She placed a hand to her face in a desperate attempt to keep from openly weeping. If Baird was feeling this fire in himself, then someone like Lo and Cole were likely feeling it twice as hard.

"He got us this far." Marcus continued," Let's finish it.". As the group began to solemnly head toward the Azura tower, Baird noticed that Lo had not moved from her spot. He doubled back and placed a hand on her shoulder, the skin contact seeming warmer than he had ever regarded before. The action caused a few drops to fall, silently, from the brunette's eyes. They shared a quiet moment before Loney spoke, placing her own hand on Baird's, "Be careful..._please,_ let's be careful. Okay, Damon?"

Baird half-smiled, attempting to reassure her, bringing her shoulder forward to get her moving. "Yeah. You watch my back. I got yours. Brohan."

. . .

"So, the professor says we're all infected with this Lambent shit?" Baird questioned as they waited for the elevator. Anya was first to answer, "Everything and everyone. Imulsion's a parasitic life form.". Worry and skepticism was plain as anything across Baird's face. "Goddamn. The friggen miracle fuel's alive...Can he really kill it all?". It was strange for Lo to watch as Baird shifted his weight back and forth, beads of sweat forming on his brow. She had never seen him so nervous. So afraid. She reached out to touch his elbow comfortingly.

"Hey, we came all dis way to get Marcus' dad. Show some goddamn faith!". Lo dropped her hand prematurely as Cole burst out angrily at Baird. Tensions were high in the group. Too much was happening to fast. It was hard for Loney to keep quiet and still, but she tried.

They halted a moment, each idling in the elevator car as the overhead PA system sounded a pre-recording. "Well," Baird said, "at least i'll die knowing I was right.". Loney grimmaced. Had Baird already given up? Marcus tensed, "You're not gunna die, Baird." he confirmed, "No one else is gunna die!"

"Has your dad _tested_ this bomb-thing, Marcus?". Baird grew more and more uneasy by the second. The scarred Sergent ignored his question, becoming agitated by the PA system, "Can we kill this goddamn _noise_!". Baird wasted no time in shooting the sound box from the wall.

"Okay. Faith. yeah...Got it.". Loney reached for Baird's elbow, nudging it gently. "You promised..." She whispered. he peeked over his shoulder at her, and for a moment his worry was replaced by an emotion unfamiliar to the Corporal's face.

Was that gratitude?

. . .

"Marcus!" Myrrah shouted her speech, "I gave your father twenty years to deal with the Lambent! He _will_ deal with the Lambent - but _not_ at my people's expense!". Her Tempest steed roared loudly, sending an Lambent energy blast screaming into the surrounding hall. Being the permanent back of the group, Lo was hit hard by it, her armored boot on her left foot searing down several layers, some of it making it's way to her skin. She screamed loudly as patches of her flesh burned and metal and plastic melted into her foot.

Baird lifted her up, placing one of her arms around his neck, but the height difference made it slow going and he gave up, eventually grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her over his shoulder. "C'mon kid, let's get out of here!"

. . .

"Hey, look up there!" Baird pointed to a large chandelier above Queen Myrrah's flying mount. "Splat." he emphasized. Lo sat next to him, holding her foot, choking back all the cries and wails that wanted to come out. "You wanna bring down da roof?" Cole questioned. "No, no. Just the counterweight. See the cables?". Baird turn his attention to the girl next to him. "Hey, you gunna be okay?" "She nodded weakly, "Yes...but I might have to sit this next one out... I'm sorry."

Marcus, Cole, and Anya left the two. They each ran for the cables attached to the center piece. Before Baird could move to leave, Lo grabbed a hold of his belt, staying him. "Stay here...I'm...I'm sorry.". Baird peered over the cover, and, when he was sure the others didn't need him, he sat back down.

"Okay..." he said, placing his arm over her shoulder. He held her close untill the beast had been squashed.

. . .

Loney hobbled her way through the next few firefights, keeping mostly on her right foot, sitting while firing her rifle. The pain slowly started to recede. "You are one _toughass_ chick, baby!" Cole congratulated. She shrugged to him in response, "Oh like I even hive a _choice_, haha!"

She stepped just out of cover, aiming her sights at a Theron opposite her, taking cover behind a clerk desk, finally able to put some weight on her left foot. "Delta. Party of five."

And then the Locust's head was gone.

. . .

Hanging back with Adam Fenix, Loney covered the squad while simultaneously juicing the old man for embarrassing stories about Marcus. "So, did Marcus ever wet the bed?" She asked casually, laughing, resting her foot fully on the floor now. The man in question wheeled around from his spot on the Troika. "Guys, can we not? There's a war going on!"

"Oh please tell me he did." Baird ignored the Sergent completely. "Multiple times, i'm sure.". Cole laughed from well up front. "Nah, that's just you, Blondie!"

. . .

It was chaos. Pure chaos. Lambent fighting Locust, fighting humans, fighting Lambent and all sorts of double-backing. it was hard to know just what to shoot. Loney tried taking out the lambent first, hoping the explosion of their death would wound surrounding Locust, but very rarely did that happen. She could barely move from her cover, as the rest of Delta freely rounded the rooftop, killing as they went.

. . .

"Goddamnit, I thought we killed that bitch!" Cole cried as Myrrah rejoined the battle once again. Baird helped Loney to the inside circle. "Stay here, stay behind cover." Loney nodded. Trying to run around with her injury was just going to get her killed. "Okay." She agreed, "But stay here with me.". Baird nodded. "Right. I got your back."

Marcus dropped the Hammer on Myrrah about a dozen times before her Tempest finally kicked it and died.

. . .

Loney stood next to Baird as they watched Adam Fenix crumble and die. The pain in Marcus' face and voice drove the young girl to tears. Touching or reassuring him now would only cause him to become angered, but she couldn't just do nothing. A light, warm touch came to her shoulder. Baird had placed his hand there, nodding to her as she wept.

. . .

Loneychen Fellwind watched as Marcus Fenix shed his armor, finally sick of fighting - finally _done_ fighting - and decided that was a good idea. She set her rifle down on a railing and detached herself from her chest piece, tossing it vehemently to the floor. Lo took note of Baird making his way next to her, placing his Lancer alongside her Longshot. She turned to him then.

"You know that I-O-U? For one big hug? It expires soon. Like, right now.". Baird laughed. "Is that so? Well, then I should cash it in now before I lose it forever!". Loney nodded, facing him. "That's the idea, Damon.". Baird had expected her to clasp herself around his waist in a friendly hug. However, Lo reached up around his neck softly, carefully pulling his face down to her level, resting her cheek on his. Shocked, but strangely invited, Baird moved to wrap his large arms around her shoulders, pressing his chest firmly against hers. He smiled, and Loney did too, feeling the muscles in his face when he did so. She pulled back.

Stopping halfway, Loney took a moment to look into Baird's eyes for as long as he would allow her to. It was an odd occurrence when she was the first to look down. Baird had always been the one to break eye contact, quickly becoming flustered or shy or angry. This time, he simply stared back at her, his left hand rubbing her right shoulder lightly, his large arms still wrapped around her, as her hands rested on the sides of his neck.

"We've seen some shit, huh?" he asked, returning Lo's gaze to his. She nodded softly. "Some? We've seen _all_ the shit.". Baird closed his eyes, continuing to smile. He seemed to be thinking pleasantly about something. "What?" Lo asked. He shook his head. "Nothing." Baird answered, "Just this..."

And he moved to press his lips firmly against hers.

"Now, about that beer you owe me."


End file.
